CNY ecoBlog

An editorial in Artvoice discusses some salient themes for economic development in Buffalo and Upstate New York that will be the focus of an upcoming conference on September 27-28 in downtown Buffalo called “The High Road Runs Through the City.” The essay begins with some surprising news to me at least that Buffalo was [...]

A number of newspapers are reporting on a State comptrollers report on Special town districts. Statewide there are 6927 special district and 4200 local governments while New Yorkers pay some of the highest property taxes in the Nation. The implication of course is that these special districts and other inefficiencies in local government [...]

From the Poughkeepsie Journal:

By taking measures to reduce waste, save electricity or switch to renewable power, businesses are saving money in the long run.

“It really is an absolute myth to think that environmentally sound procedures are going to cost more over time,” said Manna Jo Greene, environmental action director at Hudson River Sloop Clearwater Inc., [...]

For the record…The Economist offers its 800 word assessment of Destiny USA - Saving upstate New York. May 4th 2006. From The Economist print edition:

About 250 miles north-west of New York City, in the heart of New York state, lies the city of Syracuse. Like the rest of upstate New York, Syracuse has been the [...]

I was left with the distinct impression that Tom Golisano was opposed to wind farm development especially any that might infringe on his Canandaigua Lake homestead. Apparently his position is somewhat more nuanced. He supports small-scale windfarm development projects under local control of the communities that would receive the benefits directly. And [...]

This Buffalo First article, Albany called on to ‘Unshackle Upstate’, describes an alliance of western New York business groups that’s pretty fed up with Albany’s inattention to the problems of Upstate New York.
“It’s becoming increasingly difficult for upstate business owners to make payroll, let alone compete nationally or globally,” said Robert Brady, CEO of Moog [...]

Maple Ridge, the largest alternative-energy project east of the Mississippi, as well as other Wind Farm projects are being touted as an “economic bonanza” by some Upstate New York communities according to today’s New York Times (via NYCO). Not only are these wind projects increasing the tax base of some communities, but the projects [...]

In Gotham’s Shadow: Globalization and Community Change in Central New York by Alexander R. Thomas studies the fortunes of three communities – Utica, Hartwick, and Cooperstown – with extensive historical background, economic, demographic and other analyses and observations. The narrow focus may be frustrating from the standpoint of other Upstate communities, but its clear [...]

New York State ranks 3rd nationwide in dairy production. Dairy farming is a 2 billion dollar industry in New York State accounting for more than 50% of New York’s farm receipts in 2004 (USDA-ERS New York State fact sheets). Most of these farms are family or sole proprietorship operations that rely heavily [...]

Local food purchases enhance the regional economy, capturing dollars that would otherwise flow out of the Central New York. So buy local food; that is the appeal of Lael Gerhart of the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County in the Ithaca Journal – New year good time to pick local food:

Most of our New [...]